A PARAMEDIC had to bang on the doors of Chester Fire Station to borrow a stretcher after a man fell 25ft from the City Walls.

An ambulance crew had asked the fire service control room for help but believed there would be a delay after learning an on-call senior fire officer, from outside Chester, had been dispatched to make an initial assessment of the scene.

One frustrated ambulance crew member sped to the fire station, just two minutes away, although the fire service says it was already in the process of mobilising with a spinal board.

The casualty, in his early 30s, appears to have escaped with his life although he did suffer a fractured arm, back injuries and possible head and spinal injuries.

It is believed he was from out of town and may have been drinking when he mistakenly jumped over the wall, close to King Charles' tower, not realising the depth of the drop.

Amazingly, he was conscious and able to dial 999 on his mobile phone at 4.50am on Saturday. He described seeing a tower above him which helped paramedics track him down.

However, medics soon realised they would need a spinal board and the four ambulances serving the city had deployed all their boards to a road accident and roof fall.

Paul Townley, operational service manager for North West Ambulance Service, explained: 'The boards are left with the patient at casualty until the doctors clear it.'

Mr Townley, who did not attend the scene, said he would 'look into' allegations the fire service initially refused to send a fire engine but none of his crew members had made an official complaint.

'What it seems like is the crew took the initiative. They thought the fire station is only round the corner, let's go and give them a knock,' he said. 'You would think if we have asked for assistance they would just send the fire engine.'

Crew manager Kevin Shone of Chester Fire Station's Blue Watch said it was standard procedure for a senior officer to assess the scene first.

Confirming the ambulance crew knocked on the fire station door, he said: 'They did, but they had already been advised by control we were mobilising to them.'